Wandering Eyes and Secretive Stares
by solangelo
Summary: He doesn't just look; he sees. Solangelo.


**AN:** Hi, I'm Jerna. Before proceeding, I'd like to genuinely apologize if I appeared to be racist on _Silhouette_ but I swear that topic didn't even cross my mind when I came up with the idea nor did I have any intentions to be offensive. Anyway, this is basically just word-vomit. Enjoy the randomness! ^^

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><p><strong>WANDERING EYES AND SECRETIVE STARES<strong>

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_He doesn't just look; he sees_

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He promised on the River Styx to come back.

He did so and after that, they took a walk then talked a little and spared glances towards each other a lot. They also bickered and had arguments in the duration of their walk along the edge of the lake. It just can't simply be avoided—they were opposite in some aspects.

Will Solace was sunshine and warmth and life; Nico was darkness and hesitant moments and death.

After the promise had been fulfilled, they never spoke again.

Will supposes the guy has retreated back into himself again, feeling unwelcome and unwanted.

Right now, he glances at the Hades table where Nico di Angelo is sitting alone, eating silently, trying not to be noticed.

Will returns his attention to his dinner sitting in front of him.

Nico badly wants to disappear into the shadows right now. No matter how cruel this thought might be—almost suicidal and selfish even, but at least the shadows were his friends.

They won't let him. Or maybe he's conflicted about the whole thing. Maybe he wants to live, for once. Maybe it's just him bullying himself again.

Sometimes, he could feel people drawing toward him in an attempt to make his acquaintance but he's still getting used to the whole aspect of actually having to interact and smile and have friends.

It's really kind of hard, considering the only real friend he had was dead—a ghost of his sister nowhere to be found.

And Reyna—the Roman praetor who has seen all his secrets being spilled out to the open. And Jason who was the first to know who he is. They're his friends now as well but there's a part of his mind telling him to draw back—the thing he's actually very good at.

_They might leave me any moment,_ Nico thinks. Then he scolds himself for having such thoughts overwhelm his mind.

He might as well learn how to trust people.

The dinner is over and now everyone stands to join the sing-along by the campfire.

Nico considers walking back to the Hades Cabin but then he remembers his father's wish—his hope for Nico to be finally happy; unlike most of his children.

He makes his way to the campfire.

Everyone sits and some of the Apollo kids have their instruments with them—guitars, fiddles, etc. and the demigods sing, smiling at each other while the fire is rising into a bright orange hue.

Nico could see Annabeth sitting beside Percy, and Jason beside Piper.

Boy, does he feel alone.

He looks down as he tries to go unnoticed.

_Nice try, Death Boy,_ Will thinks as he looks at Nico di Angelo with hunched soldiers and a downward gaze. He might think nobody is paying attention to him but Will Solace could see him twisting his ring anxiously.

He's at the other side of the fire and no matter how much happiness the demigods radiate, still the orange flames have tints of black dancing amongst them.

Nico scans the crowd, making sure no one is paying any sliver of attention to him right now when he sees the son of Apollo staring at him.

Will looks away quickly and acts as if he's resuming singing along with the group.

_Seriously, Solace, _Will thinks. Nico finally looks down his lap again and Will risks another glance at him.

Here he is, drawing back from everybody just when the people from camp want to be his friend.

Will guesses that's one of the cons of being a child of Hades—the constant feeling of isolation.

And well, as the son of Apollo, Will can't help drawing close to people to spread warmth.

The dark haired dude just doesn't know Will Solace is at the moment _seeing _him—the anguish that dances with the shadows on his face, the inevitable feeling of being unwanted but also the desire of someone to notice him despite his attempts to hide from everyone.

Will could see these emotions loud and clear even if he doesn't touch him. It's because it's perfectly etched on his face, anyway on account of how he thinks nobody is watching him.

Nico can't wait for the sing-along to finally be over. His plan after that is to walk as fast as he can back to his cabin and sleep until the gods know when.

He could feel Will's pair of blue eyes boring on him right now and it just proves that his efforts to be invisible are futile.

He could also sense some of the demigods looking at him every now and then but they're too engulfed by the melody echoing around them to stay focused on being concerned with Nico.

But one particular person seems to be studying him intently.

The son of Hades feels like he's being seen through by Will Solace.

The guy seriously needs to lower down a notch his ability to detect emotions on other people.

The song ends and some people linger for a moment or two as the last flames flicker but not as bright as it had been while the singing has been going on.

Nico decides to stay. He doesn't want to bump into some people on his way back.

He isn't the only one with this in mind.

Will stands up and runs his fingers through his hair. He takes a deep breath before walking towards Nico.

"You shouldn't stay so late, di Angelo," he says using that professional voice of his. "You're not that healthy yet."

Nico stares at the flames instead of meeting those ocean blue eyes. Will sits down beside him and watch as the flames die down.

"What's with you isolating yourself again?" Will asks. He sends Nico a glance.

Nico shrugs. "I guess that's none of your business, Solace."

Will raises his eyebrows at Nico's sarcasm. "Yeah? Then it's just yours? All _alone_ again like it usually is?"

"Just don't stare at me like that. It was creeping me out."

Will laughs a little. _The guy is a bad liar._

"I can't help but seeing you, di Angelo," Will says quietly. "It saddens me and aggravates me at the same time with you thinking no one's going to let you in."

Nico clenches his fists and meets Will's eyes, mustering his courage. "It's true, Will. How many times do I have to tell you that wherever I'll go, I will never belong? This camp—it's a happy place. I'm not happy but I'm . . . trying." He rakes his hands through his hair in frustration. "We've talked about this by the lake."

Will could only roll his eyes. "And I've also told you that you could try to make a home here. If this isn't want you wanted, if you didn't have the energy to try then why did you stay here in the first place?" Will asks. "It's not everyone that's keeping you out; it's you not letting yourself in."

It stings to hear these words right now but some sense has been knocked into Nico. He needs a little reminder from time to time and Will thinks he'd make it his obligation to make him remember his worth.

"What is with you giving me this talk, Solace?" Nico says. He expects himself to sound angry but his tone is a little sad and tired.

Will shrugs. "I guess I just can't stop seeing you, di Angelo. Just remember that you're not the only one hurting trying to distance yourself."

Nico feels his cheeks heating up. "But—"

"Just knock on my door, di Angelo. I'm letting you in anytime you need it. I promise on the Styx."

Nico just looks at Will Solace, unbelieving that the guy has just made a vow that seems impossible to keep since Nico thinks that eventually, everyone dealing with him for so long only gets tired and that they would abandon him. Then they'll only find him again when he's essential to a certain thing they needed to be accomplished.

The silence drags long and awkwardly in between them and Nico keeps his gaze down. "So, I suppose I could need some company at the moment," Nico murmurs.

"I'm already here," Will says.

He looks at Nico's frame and feels him relaxing a little.

"You just can't stop seeing me, can you?" Nico asks softly, gazing at Will.

Something dances in the blue of his eyes and even without a word; Nico di Angelo could read the answer.

**fin.**


End file.
